


Oh I Would Love You If You Let Me

by LovelySapphic



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Based on a Tumblr Post, Bisexual Disaster Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), First Dates, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, My First AO3 Post, Oblivious Zuko (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Pining, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, a very very awkward turtleduck, as an excuse for fluff, because ive never had an original thought in my life, even if zuko doesn’t know it, lets see if the author knows what shes doing, rated for language, so dont get too mad at me lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28167576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelySapphic/pseuds/LovelySapphic
Summary: “Hey guys,” he turned the camera for a moment so Aang could wave, “so Zuko’s birthday is in a week and I’m gonna do that stupid challenge you guys won’t shut up about. A stupidly cliche romantic thing for him every day until his birthday, and… if he still hasn’t figured it out by then, I’ll just straight-up kiss him.”Even just saying it, alone in the park with Aang, made his heart pound. But then, it was out in the world. Official. There were suddenly tens of thousands of people who knew. People who would not hesitate to hold him to it.As the excited comments started rolling in, Sokka’s only thought was, What the fuck have I done.(Or: Sokka’s many social media followers know about his crush on his best friend, and tell him to stop being a disaster bi. Fluffy chaos and cute dates ensue.)
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 152
Kudos: 498
Collections: A:tla





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WOW this is intimidating
> 
> first time putting my sporadic late-night bursts of writing inspiration into the world, so fingers crossed someone enjoys it lol
> 
> My writing hobby is a self-indulgence thing, so don’t be surprised when everything is out of character and full of fluffy cliches lmao
> 
> Also the quality of this fic starts off kinda rough because I hadn’t written in years, but it’ll get better, I hope
> 
> Title is from Daisy by Zedd

“So… are you gonna do it? Ask him out, I mean?” Aang glanced at Sokka while they walked. The park was fairly silent in the early mornings; the only noise was the rustling of wind through the trees and the jangling of Appa’s collar.

Sokka sighed, adjusting the collar of his blue bomber jacket against the chill. His friends weren’t the only ones pressuring him. Sokka had a decent social media following, and it was all his comment section could talk about. They too knew about his years-old crush on his friend, and the universe had conspired to concoct his perfect torture.

On paper, the challenge was simple enough. It was just one of many ways one could confess to one’s crush. But Sokka was terrified by it.

Alas, despite being the idea guy, it wasn’t like he had any other ideas. So… what the hell, why not.

“I guess,” he replied. Aang— who was becoming _way too tall, who let him get so tall??_ — turned to him, nearly stopping in his tracks.

“Really?” Sokka was almost offended by the shock in his friend’s wide-eyed grin.

“Well,” he rushed to explain, “it’s not an awful idea, and maybe it’ll get me to actually _do it_ —“ Sokka was already starting to regret this. “Actually, do you mind if I film real quick? I want to make it official before I psych myself out.”

Aang nodded eagerly. “No problem, Sokka!” Ah, despite the ever-increasing height, he was still a chipper little kid.

Sokka held up his phone camera, all too aware of what he was getting himself into.

“Hey guys,” he turned the camera for a moment so Aang could wave, “so Zuko’s birthday is in a week and I’m gonna do that stupid challenge you guys won’t shut up about. A stupidly cliche romantic thing for him every day until his birthday, and… if he still hasn’t figured it out by then, I’ll just straight-up kiss him.”

Even just saying it, alone in the park with Aang, made his heart pound. But then, it was out in the world. Official. There were suddenly tens of thousands of people who knew. People who would not hesitate to hold him to it.

As the excited comments started rolling in, Sokka’s only thought was, _What the fuck have I done_.

<><><><><>

Sokka parked in front of Zuko’s apartment building, and texted him to come outside. 

(He was pointedly ignoring the—frankly unreasonable—number of texts from his friends about his post. He could already guess what they’d be, anyways. The handful of texts from Ty Lee would be tooth-achingly sweet in support (featuring a thinly veiled threat from Mai, detailing his imminent murder were he to hurt Zuko), the never-ending barrage of notifications from Katara and Toph would be somewhere on a scale between _finally, you coward_ and _bet you my life’s savings you chicken out_. Suki would wish him a simple good luck, and his dad would tease-congratulate him for finally getting over his bisexual panic.)

(Iroh, who was on the Internet far more than Zuko was, had yet to say anything, but Sokka knew it must already be the hottest topic at pai sho night.)

His heart rate picked up as he saw the door open, and he chewed on his lip. Was this too on-the-nose? He wanted Zuko to figure it out, but he’d spent way too much time (and money) planning for this week. This might be too strong a start.

Zuko opened the passenger door. “Hey, what’s up?” He glanced back to the cluttered backseat as he climbed in. “Where are we going?”

“The park! I packed lunch.” Sokka watched Zuko’s expression closely. Was that suspicion, or just curiosity?

“Like a picnic?”

“Yeah, is that alright? I thought my followers would like the leaves. And the ducks.”

Zuko nodded, smiling a little at the mention of ducks. Sokka gave a small sigh of relief. “Sounds fun.”

“In fact,” Sokka continued, feeling an especially strong need to explain himself, “this is actually part of a challenge my followers put me up to. I’ve gotta do a thing every day. With—uh, with you, I mean. So, I hope you’re not too busy this week.”

Zuko, unfamiliar as he was to the Internet and its alarming number of confession games, didn’t ask any follow-up questions. “Nope, I’m basically free,” he stated simply. “You know my work schedule.”

When they reached the park, Sokka rushed to lay out the blanket in the shade of a large oak, its brightly colored leaves not yet fallen. The grassy field, full of people making use of the sunny autumn day, surrounded a lazy brook that settled into a small pond. There, a family of ducks quacked loudly at each other. They would be heading south soon, as they probably should have a month ago. Most of the trees had begun to lose their leaves, and the water was littered with vibrant hues of red and yellow.

Zuko sat, curling his legs under himself as Sokka set down the basket of food. He pointed in its direction with a quick nod of his head. “So, what’s all this for? Do your followers,” he deadpanned, “have a sudden interest in sandwiches?”

Sokka shrugged as he sat beside Zuko, grinning goodnaturedly. “Oh, yeah. The internet goes nuts over a good ham and cheese.”

Zuko breathed out a small laugh in response. Sokka didn’t know why he had bothered; the joke wasn’t very funny and Zuko was hard to amuse. He tried to tell that to his heart, but it was already fluttering in pride. And nerves. Lots of nerves.

He wasn’t sure why he was anxious. He’d hung out with Zuko before, and a picnic was not that unusual an activity. Likely, it was the knowledge that this wasn’t _just_ a picnic, it was the start of a week that would end one of two ways: with Zuko and Sokka together, or with an awkward rift in their easy friendship. “I brought extra bread,” he said, more to distract himself than anything else. “For the ducks.”

Zuko smiled warmly (—he might as well have just _murdered_ Sokka oh my _god_ —) and accepted the slice of cheap bread. “Thanks.”

The afternoon was surprisingly warm for October, which was why the park was so busy, but as they ate and chatted and threw bread to the birds, Sokka noticed Zuko pulling his thin cardigan tighter around himself. He decided to interrupt the current conversation. “Do you—do you want my jacket? You look cold.”

Zuko blinked in surprise. “Oh, uh, yeah. Thanks, Sokka. Sorry I didn’t dress warmer. I—I mean,” he stuttered, “I didn’t know we’d be outside, but I guess that’s no excuse—“

“What are you talking about? You don’t have to apologize.” Sokka leaned over to drape his thick blue bomber jacket over Zuko’s shoulders, looking up at Zuko’s face as he straightened the collar. His long black hair was tied up in his usual effortless topknot, and his bright, warm, golden eyes were trained on Sokka. _God_ , he was so pretty. “Is that better?”

Zuko nodded.

They sat in silence for a moment, Sokka’s hands resting on Zuko’s shoulders, before Sokka’s phone buzzed in his pocket, startling them both.

He pulled out his phone. “Oh, right, my followers wanna know what I’m doing,” he laughed sheepishly, “Mind if I post this?”

Zuko considered for a moment, never taking his eyes off Sokka, before saying, “That, um. That’s fine.”

“Ok, great.” Sokka lifted his phone and pressed record. “Say hi, Zuko!”

The boys waved to the camera, Sokka more eagerly than Zuko, who was eyeing the people around them with a pink tint to his cheeks. Sokka nudged his friend playfully with his elbow, but turned the camera away to spare him when he didn’t react.

Sokka worried he’d embarrassed him. “Zuko, you know you didn’t have to be in the video if you didn’t want to. I’m sorry if I pressured you.”

Zuko, after a brief silence, sighed, suddenly appearing very interested in the edge of the picnic blanket. “No, you’re fine. It’s—It was stupid. I should’ve told you.” He picked at the grass, but Sokka noticed the slight tense in his shoulders. “Sorry. I… Sorry.”

Oh, no. Sokka wasn’t about to let Zuko distance himself in his little mental guilt-corner. He shuffled forward on his knees and wrapped Zuko in a hug. He felt his friend stiffen in his arms, but didn’t let go.

Eventually, Zuko relaxed a little, and Sokka pulled back. He placed a comforting hand on his friend’s knee, still leaning forward. “You don’t have to apologize for setting boundaries.” 

Zuko looked up at him, and Sokka’s heart pinched when he realized Zuko was blinking away tears. “Thank you, Sokka.”

“Now come on,” Sokka said, pointing at the pond behind him with his thumb. “The ducks aren’t gonna feed themselves.”

“Sokka, we already fed them like half a loaf of bread.”

“And they’re still hungry! Can you believe them?”

<><><><><>

That afternoon, as Sokka scrolled through his camera roll, he deleted the video. In fact, he cringed inwardly a little at the memory of it. Instead, he decided to post a picture.

It featured Zuko, kneeling at the edge of the pond. He was throwing crumbs of bread to the small army of ducks around him. The leaves fell around him, and one had landed on the shoulder of Sokka’s jacket, which still hung around Zuko. He was smiling.

“Hey, are you even listening to me?”

He hummed absently in response before a hand waved in front of his face, breaking his focus from his phone. “Oh, sorry, uh. What were you saying?”

Katara sat back into the beanbag and huffed. “I should’ve known you’d be a lovestruck idiot today.” Her glare softened into a slight smile. “How did it go?”

Sokka caught himself blushing a little, and sighed melodramatically. “He’s _perfect_ , Katara. I might die if he says no.”

“He won’t say no,” Katara replied instantly. “You guys are practically already dating, you’re so close. You’ll just be… making it official.”

“But what if he’s not even gay?”

Katara snorted. “He _came out to you_ , dumbass.”

“What if he changed his mind?” Sokka countered.

She rolled her eyes, playing along. “Then what do you call Jet?”

“A dick.”

“You’re not wrong.” She brought a palm to her face, shaking her head. “I can’t believe he ever fell for that douchebag.”

“Hey, you nearly did too,” Sokka said in Zuko’s defense. He pinched his fingers together in a hand puppet and raised his voice several octaves. “Oh Jet, you’re _so_ bad,” he mocked.

“Fuck you,” Katara teased. She smacked his arm and they both laughed.

After he calmed down, Sokka picked up his phone, pulling up the photo again. He hoped Katara was right. Zuko made him happy, and he intended to return the favor, if Zuko would let him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! lmk what y’all think
> 
> i’ve got no idea when or how often I’ll upload, but I have a lot of this story written already so it shouldn’t be too long


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are literally so sweet
> 
> I wasn’t gonna update so soon but y’all’s comments made me squeal so I figured you deserve it ❤️❤️
> 
> Also, as I have almost the whole thing written, I can confidently say that this is one of my favorite chapters, so enjoy!!

Sokka stood at Zuko’s door, holding a box of cake mix in one hand and a bouquet of sunflowers and orange lilies in the other. He had debated for embarrassingly long which flowers to buy, but roses seemed too formal and nothing else was quite right. These flowers at least reminded him of Zuko. Neither species was quite the amber-gold of his eyes, but— Wait, were flowers of _any_ type too forward? Sokka panicked slightly before remembering that “forward” was the point. He pulled out his phone, struggling to hold everything at once, and started filming, trying to gather up the courage to knock. Eventually, after a long, deep breath, he did. Zuko opened the door almost immediately.

“Sokka?” He glanced down at the phone camera and the rest of the stuff in Sokka’s arms. “Wh—“

Sokka shoved the cake mix towards Zuko. “Wanna bake a cake?”

Zuko laughed, puzzled. “Is this for my birthday? You know that’s next week, right?” He opened the door wider anyway to let Sokka in.

“Well, maybe I want cake _now_ ,” Sokka said as he stepped into Zuko’s apartment. The place was small, but Zuko didn’t need much space, as he lived alone. It was decorated with bold red and gold accents, and a giant dragon mural on one wall.

Zuko shut the door. His eyes were still lit with puzzled amusement. “You couldn’t have just… bought a cake?”

“Making it is more fun.”

Zuko finally seemed to register the bouquet. “Oh, um.” He stared. Sokka’s heart thumped. 

_Shit, shit, shit, I’ve made him uncomfortable_.

“I don’t have any vases,” Zuko finished.

Sokka could’ve snorted in relief. “That’s fine, we’ll find something,” Sokka said as he shut off the camera. “You got a mason jar or something?”

Once the flowers were settled on the kitchen table, they pulled together the cake-making supplies. Sokka set up his phone and started filming. Zuko was far superior at baking, but the box mixes were easy. As long as Zuko cracked the eggs, it was really impossible for anything to go wrong.

Sokka started whisking a little too eagerly, and inhaled a puff of powder mix. His ensuing coughing fit made them both double over in laughter.

Sokka finished mixing the batter and loudly declared, “Taste-test time!!”

Zuko’s hands were busy spraying the cake pan, but he turned his head to humor Sokka, who was holding a spoonful of batter towards him. He licked his lips thoughtfully (and Sokka did _not_ stare, thank-you-very-much). “Well… box cake is box cake,” Zuko shrugged, “but it’s not bad.”

They slid the cake pan into the oven, and decided to watch TV until it was finished. There wasn’t really anything good on, so they defaulted to baking competitions. Sokka hoped to find decorating inspiration for the cake, but instead just found himself getting heated.

“Look at that cupcake.” Sokka gestured at the television with both arms. “What a mess! There’s no way they’re making it through this round.”

Zuko nodded in amused agreement. “Very sloppy.” He had no room to tease, really. He was just as invested as Sokka. “That piping tip did them no favors. The other team’s got this in the bag.”

The timer for their cake went off in the middle of judging, and Zuko offered to check on it.

“It’s done,” he called from the kitchen. “I’m just setting it out to cool.” He walked back to the couch. “What’s the verdict?”

“Apparently those ugly-ass cupcakes were fucking delicious, because they’re doing a tie-breaker round.”

After the show ended, the boys shut off the TV and opted instead for some music while they decorated. Sokka’s music preferences were rather mainstream, and he wasn’t a very good singer, but Zuko didn’t complain. They danced to Taylor Swift, and sang off-key to Ed Sheeran. (Or rather, Sokka sang off-key and Zuko sang with that confident, pitch-perfect voice he reserved for his closest friends.) Zuko stuck a finger in the frosting and wiped it on Sokka’s nose with a devilish grin.

Sokka gasped dramatically. “Is this a declaration of war?”

“Absolutely,” Zuko replied wickedly.

<><><><><>

“Sokka, you have something in your hair,” Aang said.

“I what?” Sokka asked, turning away from Toph’s nasty feet on the table ( _Seriously, who_ does _that_ ) to look at his reflection in the diner window. “Damn,” he said, brushing it away with his fingers. “I thought I got all the frosting off.”

Aang gave him a quizzical look.

“I made a cake with Zuko,” he supplied.

Katara butted in smugly. “That doesn’t explain the frosting in your _hair_.”

Toph snorted.

Aang looked between the girls with wide eyes. “Guys, I’m sure it’s nothing.” He gestured with one arm. The other was—predictably—wrapped around Katara.

“Oh no, twinkle toes, they were _totally_ making out.”

Sokka spluttered, which made Toph laugh even harder. He threw a french fry at her, which completely missed. “We were _not_! It was a completely G-rated frosting war.”

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? You filmed it, right?”

“...Yes.” Sokka didn’t like where this was going.

“Oh, I’ve gotta see this.”

“You can’t _see_ , Toph, you’re blind.”

“That’s what you guys are for! I want every sexy detail—“

“ _Toph_ —”

Aang looked pale. He mouthed a silent apology to Sokka, who shrugged in response. The teasing was all in good fun, anyways.

“Alright, fine,” he conceded. “I’ll show you guys the footage.”

He started the video and turned his phone around so Aang and Katara could see. He heard the recorded laughter and teasing banter from himself and Zuko. Toph took her feet off the table to lean forward eagerly.

“What’s happening? What’s happening?”

“They’re staring into each other’s eyes all dreamily,” Katara answered. “And my brother’s smiling like a dope. It’s _disgusting_.”

“I— We were not!” Sokka squawked.

Even through the quiet phone speaker, Sokka heard a soft thump and Zuko’s breathy “oof” cut through the competitive chatter.

Katara gasped. “Oh my _god_ , you pinned him against the counter?”

A huge grin slapped itself across Toph’s face. “No fucking way.”

“It’s a frosting war!” He felt the heat rise to his cheeks. “Regular social rules do not apply. Besides,” he pointed accusingly, “I’ve seen you pull far more scandalous stunts with Aang.”

Aang flushed bright red, but Katara just huffed in exasperation. “Aang and I have been dating for years. You haven’t even formally asked Zuko out.”

Toph snickered. “She’s got you there, lover boy. Now can we go back to Sokka _pinning Zuko to the fucking counter_?”

Sokka groaned, burying his head in his hands. “Let’s not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing that Gaang scene So. Much. They’re just so chaotic together and the scene practically wrote itself. Aang feels so bad lol, and Toph’s just a little chaos gremlin who feeds off Sokka’s humiliation
> 
> (Also this fic is entirely from Sokka’s POV, but just be aware that Zuko is DEFINITELY getting the same treatment from Toph and she thinks it’s Hilarious)
> 
> When will I update next? No idea, but don’t be surprised if I can’t wait more than a day or two


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally cannot believe this story has gotten so much love already, you guys are amazing
> 
> I’m really trying to space these out, but man is it hard lol. Hopefully I’ll be less tempted now that I’m getting to the point where chapters need some work before they can go up

“Hey Zuko, you busy?”

“No, why?”

“I’m pulling up to your building right now, come outside.”

Zuko agreed and hung up. He stepped outside a few minutes later, wearing a pretty red scarf over his black cardigan. Sokka started driving again before Zuko could even put on his seatbelt. 

“Where are we going in such a hurry?” He sounded vaguely alarmed. “Is something wrong?”

“What? No! Oh my god, sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. I just want to get to the museum before it opens. Google says Saturdays are busier in the afternoon, and I’d rather avoid the rush.”

Zuko exhaled audibly. “Do _not_ scare me like that again, jerk.” He punched Sokka lightly on the arm. “But why are we going to the museum?”

“Because I have coupons,” he lied. “They expire today and I totally forgot. It’ll make good content.” He stopped at a red light and took the opportunity to glance at Zuko. “Wanna come?”

Zuko scoffed. “I’m already in the car with you, dumbass.” His teasing eyes turned soft. “But, yeah. Yeah, I wanna. Thanks.”

They pulled up to the museum five minutes before opening, and luckily there were only a couple of families waiting outside. As soon as the doors opened, Sokka shot through, pulling Zuko by the hand. “Come on, come on,” he half-shouted, “you _need_ to see the otters.” He pulled out his phone again, hoping to capture Zuko’s reaction.

Zuko laughed. “Why does a museum even _have_ —“ His sentence ended abruptly when they skidded to a stop at the large glass wall. The otters were jumping and playing in their pool, and a couple of babies were huddled together against the—presumably warm—glass. Zuko ran a hand through his hair, pure childlike awe in his wide eyes. “Oh my god.”

“Right?”

“Oh my _god_.” He turned to look back at Sokka, holding his stunned expression. “Sokka, I think I’m in love.”

Sokka tried to stop his face from warming, because _goddammit Sokka he’s talking about the otters, keep it together, idiot_ , but he must not have been very good at it because Zuko’s expression changed to one of concern.

“You okay? You look flushed. Do you need to sit down?”

“Nope, I’m fine.” He struggled to shut off the camera. “Totally- totally fine. Mhm.”

Now Zuko looked _guilty_? What could he possibly have to be guilty about? “Sorry.” He bit his lip.

“What? No, why are you apologizing? I promise I’m fine.” He held out his hands. “You don’t need to be sorry for anything. I guess I just… ran too fast? Yeah, I haven’t done cardio in _months_ , that was my bad.”

He must have accepted Sokka’s earnestness, because his soft, awkward smile returned. “Okay. What should we see next?”

“You will _love_ the cool geodes upstairs.”

They wandered the museum, Sokka taking videos whenever seemed applicable, Zuko being fascinated by everything they came across, both of them talking and laughing. Occasionally Zuko would see something he was familiar with, and would launch himself into a passionate rant.

Sokka, while he didn’t really care for random animal trivia or historical facts, loved listening to Zuko talk. He tried listening to the content of his ongoing lecture, he really did, but somewhere around “ _a group of owls is called a parliament_ ” he found his focus shifting to the paradoxically gravelly softness of his voice. He watched the movement of his lips, the occasional gesture of his hands.

Sokka loved talking. He loved making people laugh, being the center of attention. Zuko didn’t have that same instinct, so on the rare occasion he felt like speaking, Sokka was one hundred percent cool with it. It was nice not to be the one in charge of the conversation for once, and it offered the wonderful opportunity for Zuko to seem completely comfortable and in his element. Sokka could spend all day just listening to him ramble. He took pride in being one of a rare few (including Toph and Zuko’s uncle Iroh) who Zuko was ever really himself around.

It felt like they’d only just gotten there when the museum started to fill with people. When a screaming toddler darted past them, pursued by an apologetic parent, they decided it was time to go.

As they exited the museum, Sokka paused to look at the clock. “Well,” he said, “it’s only two. Wanna go get ice cream? My treat.”

Zuko started to protest. “Sokka, you’ve spent enough money on me this week, I’ll pay.”

“No, I insist.”

“ _Sokka—_ “

Sokka huffed playfully. “Let me pay for you!” He locked eyes with Zuko. “I want to, okay?”

Zuko looked unconvinced as he hesitated a moment, but nodded.

Sokka raised his fists victoriously. “Yes! I’m gonna eat so much triple chocolate chunk, you have no idea.”

Zuko shook his head, smiling. “You’re gonna make yourself sick, is what you’re gonna do.”

“So sick,” Sokka agreed with a grin.

<><><><><>

“You’re an idiot.”

“I know, Katara.”

“An absolute moron.” He could practically see her folding her arms crossly through the phone.

“Don’t remind me,” Sokka groaned.

“We’ve been planning this game night all month. How much ice cream could you possibly have eaten?”

“Well, let’s see.” He tapped a finger to his chin. “I ordered my usual extra-large chocolate shake, and one for Zuko, but he didn’t finish it, so I ate like, half of his, too.”

He thought he heard the familiar smack of a palm against forehead.

“What? I couldn’t waste good ice cream. Just because I haven’t moved from the couch in two hours does _not_ mean I regret my decision.”

“Again, you’re an idiot.”

“That’s nothing new,” another voice said.

Sokka sighed. “Hi, Toph.”

“Get off your lazy ass, Snoozles. Scrabble’s your favorite.”

He groaned.

“Zuko cancelled, so you can gush about your date,” Katara offered.

“How come _Zuko_ gets to cancel—“

“And I’ll keep the sexual comments to a minimum,” Toph interjected.

A moment’s deliberation, then:

“I’ll be there in fifteen.”

<><><><><>

Aang opened the door to his shared apartment with Katara, grinning amicably. “Hi, Sokka! Glad you could make it.”

“Yep,” he replied as he stepped inside. “I’m only experiencing a literal death by chocolate, no biggie.”

Suki strolled out of the kitchen with a drawn-out, “Sure.” She handed him the glass of ice water she’d brought with her. “Now drink up, buttercup. Hydration fixes everything.”

“And I’ve got a veggie tray,” Aang offered from behind them. “Something fresh might help reset your system.”

“Shock his system, more like,” Toph said with a snicker. She was sitting upside-down on the floor with her legs on the couch.

“Yeah,” Katara agreed, sitting (correctly) on the couch next to her, “my brother hasn’t eaten a vegetable in years.” The girls high-fived with matching grins.

Sokka rolled his eyes with exasperation as he plopped into an armchair across the room from them. “Real mature, ladies. Can I talk about my date yet?”

Toph twisted to sit right side up. “Gush away, lover boy.”

Sokka sighed. “Where do I begin? He’s amazing. He’s just,” Sokka waved his arms in a weak attempt at a comprehensive gesture, “he’s so passionate, and smart, and so fucking cute that I feel like I’m going to implode. You know?”

Aang nodded vigorously, (which, _ew_ ,) but Toph just seemed unimpressed. “Okay, but did anything interesting happen?”

“We didn’t make out, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Well, shit.” She grinned. “Better luck next time, lover boy.”

Suki rolled her eyes.

“Can we play Scrabble now?” Katara looked eager to change the topic of conversation. “I’ve heard enough of my brother’s romantic escapades for today.”

“But I’ve barely said anything!”

Suki patted his shoulder. “I’m with Katara.”

“You guys tricked me! I thought I could talk about Zuko,” he whined.

Toph snorted. “Who’s mature now?”

Aang held a plate out towards him. “Broccoli?”

Sokka accepted it with a huff. “I hate you all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zuko is an awkward turtleduck, but it’s very difficult to make him the right amount of awkward turtleduck, so hopefully he doesn’t seem too out of character
> 
> Sokka just wants people to know how amazing Zuko is, but no one’ll listen to him for more than a few minutes and he is rightfully Upset about it


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy some soft boys ❤️
> 
> (Also: Suki stans and Mai/Ty Lee shippers, this one’s for you)

“Where are we going today?” Zuko clicked his seatbelt into place and shifted to turn his body towards Sokka. Loose strands of long black hair settled to frame his face. It was honestly an impressive feat of willpower when Sokka’s hand _didn’t_ reach up to brush them out of the way.

“Guess.” Sokka was grinning.

Zuko leaned back. “Well, seeing as it’s nearly dusk, it must be indoors?”

“Nope.” Sokka popped the word.

Zuko’s brows scrunched together. “Then what…?”

Sokka gave. “We’re going on a hike.”

Zuko glanced at the dash clock, face falling into a slight frown. “But it’s past six; we won’t have much daylight left.”

“That’s the point,” Sokka replied brightly.

The hike itself was nothing special, but by the time they stopped at a lookout point, they were both breathing heavily and sweating. Sokka offered his water bottle to Zuko as they found a pair of rocks to sit on, and he accepted it eagerly. 

Sokka wheezed out a laugh as he set down his backpack. Zuko turned to him, startled. “What?”

Sokka’s shoulders shook and he covered his face with his hands. “I’m so out of shape,” he laughed, “Google told me this hike was easy!”

He uncovered his face and turned to Zuko and— _oh god_ , he was doing that thing again. The thing where he looks _fucking adorable_. He was smiling softly, and the warm glow of the sunset, golden on his porcelain skin, danced in his eyes and softened even his ragged scar. Sokka pictured himself reaching up to cup Zuko’s face, gently running his thumb along his cheek. Unconsciously, his focus wandered to Zuko’s lips… 

“Sokka?”

He stiffened. _Shit_ . “Uh,” he looked back up at Zuko’s eyes. _Nope, bad idea, bad idea_ . “You’re re- _It’s_ ! It’s really pretty. The—the sun, I mean.” He cringed inwardly. _Change the subject—_ “I should show my followers!”

Zuko nodded slightly, more out of acknowledgement than agreement, and a strange expression pinched his eyebrows together for a moment.

_You fucking disaster of a human, what the hell was that?_

_Shut up, brain. This is your fault._

Sokka didn’t even pull his phone out. He watched the last bit of twilight fade, felt the heat in his cheeks do the same, and took a deep breath before breaking the silence. “I brought some blankets to lay on, if you‘re cold. And snacks. I thought we could stay to look at the stars? They’re much easier to see up here. Of course, they’re not as clear as they are in, like, National parks and stuff, but it’s better than the city. We can stay as long as you like. Just tell me when you’re ready to leave, okay?”

Zuko, to Sokka’s relief, seemed to have forgotten his odd behavior. He nodded, more sincerely this time. “Okay.”

Sokka started to stand up, blanket in hand, when Zuko placed a hand on his arm. “Let me help.”

A few minutes later, the boys were spread out between layers of blankets. Sokka was in the middle of a long lecture regarding the stars, and tried to seem casual as he periodically scooted closer and closer to Zuko.

“... so when something enters a black hole, it’s not like getting sucked in, per se, it’s more like falling. The gravity’s so strong though, that stuff get spaghettified on its way in and— Yes that’s the real term! I swear I’m not messing with you, you can look it up…”

Before long, the boys were shoulder-to-shoulder on the ground, and Sokka was looking for an excuse to wrap his arm around his friend.

“... and Betelgeuse is actually really old, and could blow up any day. And since it’s so big, it’ll be even brighter than the moon, for like a month! It’s easy to spot because of Orion’s Belt. And that one there is Sirius, the dog star. It’s my favorite, because…”

Sokka liked the feeling of Zuko in his arms. He liked the sound of his soft, relaxed breath. He liked the warmth of Zuko’s back against his chest, even through the layers of clothing between them.

Zuko deserved something nice.

<><><><><>

“Hey Sokka, what’s up?”

“Suki! I’m glad you’re awake. Wanna go to the mall?”

She paused. “At eleven thirty at night?”

Sokka laughed sheepishly. “Yeah, I need your help picking out a gift for Zuko.”

“Say no more, I’ll be there in five.”

Suki’s beat-up green van pulled up in front of the building just as Sokka stepped outside. He liked to tease her about how soccer-mom it was, but it suited her. Predictably, Ty Lee occupied the backseat.

Sokka greeted her as he stepped into the car. “Hi, Ty Lee. How’s Mai?”

She beamed back. “She’s great! We’re gonna see a movie tomorrow; maybe you can invite Zuko? Double dates are so fun.”

He agreed to consider it. He was already planning on a date to the movies anyway, but he wasn’t sure if another couple would ruin the mood.

“So,” Suki began driving, “what kind of gift are we thinking?”

Sokka tapped his chin. “I’m not sure. Something simple, but thoughtful.”

“Like a stuffed animal?” Ty Lee suggested.

“No, I’ve already gotten him, like, dozens. I want this gift to be special. Maybe some jewelry?”

“Oh, Zuko‘d look so cool in earrings.”

“You’re not wrong,” Suki countered, “but what’s Sokka gonna do? Pierce his ears for him?”

Ty Lee shrugged, humming an “I don’t know” sound.

“I’ll know it when I see it,” Sokka decided.

He asked the girls about their last soccer game, which they had, unsurprisingly, won. This inevitably led to Ty Lee babbling affectionately about Mai as Suki popped her bubblegum, and Sokka felt at home. He’d known every girl on the soccer team since high school, and even though they’d all grown up since then, he’d stayed good friends with most of them. These two were certainly no exception.

They stepped into the first jewelry shop they saw, and Ty Lee immediately bounded over to the earrings and body jewelry. Suki and Sokka scanned through the bracelets together, finding nothing satisfactory. “Maybe bracelets are just too… platonic-y,” he explained, making Suki snort. “Let's look at necklaces.”

Sokka’s eyes skipped right over the clunky silver pieces on one side of the display case, and he nearly missed the flash of red and gold hiding among them. He crouched down for a closer look.

“Suki,” he whisper-shouted, waving her over. “Look!”

She crouched beside him and nodded approvingly. “Perfect. He’ll love it.”

He purchased the necklace, and the man at the register wrapped It in a little white box. He accepted it eagerly with a “thank you!”

As they wandered the mall, Ty Lee pulled them aside for drinks from a cute new boba shop, and Suki insisted on buying them each a soft pretzel. Sokka kept the white box tucked securely under his arm, and enjoyed a night with his friends.

“I swear, every girl on that soccer team was some level of gay.”

Ty Lee giggled, poking at her tapioca pearls with her straw.

“I mean,” Suki continued, “you would not _believe_ some of the shit I had to deal with. Girls would make out in the bathroom during practice, team sleepovers were _well past_ PG-13, and don’t even get me _started_ on the mess of _she’s crushing on her, they’re dating, those two broke up sophomore year, blah blah blah_.”

Sokka wheezed, trying not to choke on his pretzel. “Holy _shit_ , Suks.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love those girls, but—” she threw her hands up— “what a fucking mess.”

Ty Lee nodded. “I know I joined the team later than everyone else, but that’s pretty much how it was.”

“How did they all get away with it?”

Ty Lee shrugged. “Beats me.”

“Oh I’ll tell you how.” Suki shook her head. “They used to get in trouble for it, but it kept happening so much that the school threatened to cancel all our games. So at our next game— get ready for this— you’re not gonna believe it—”

Sokka leaned forward.

“Every single fucking soccer queer in a fifty mile radius came to protest.”

Ty Lee’s jaw dropped. “How did I not know this?”

“It happened at an away game. The people the school sent to watch for funny business got so scared by the sea of pride flags that no one dared touch the team anymore.” She shook her head, smiling long-sufferingly. “I still can’t believe it worked.”

Sokka blinked.

Suki took a sip of her drink. “So… anybody got a story to top that?”

Ty Lee scrunched her nose in thought. “Mai… snuck her way into my family vacation last year?” She shrugged. “I guess it couldn’t have been too difficult, what with my six siblings and all.”

Sokka opened his mouth to ask one of the _many_ questions inspired by the past few minutes, but was interrupted. “What about you, Sokka? How’s the whole ‘dating Zuko’ thing going?” Suki nudged him playfully with her elbow.

Instantly, he forgot everything he was going to say as it all got replaced with _Zuko_.

“You say that so _casually_ , ‘dating Zuko,’” he began. “He’s the best person I’ve ever met. Uh, no offense.”

Suki shrugged. “None taken.”

“I don’t know how he can be so unsure of himself. He made _me_ feel inferior before I really met him. I just want him to know how smart, and talented, and _incredible_ he is.

“This challenge has been crazy. It’s like, the best experience of my life, but also ridiculously terrifying. The more time I spend with him, the more I just wanna confess on the spot and kiss him senseless, but I’m _so fucking scared_ that he doesn’t feel the same way.” His leg started to bounce under the table. “I mean, he’s _Zuko_ , and I’m just _me_. If he doesn’t like me back, I’ll feel like a jerk, he’ll clam up and avoid me— I know he will— and I just don’t wanna ruin everything.

“Zuko deserves so much better than he’s ever gotten, and he doesn’t even _know that_ , and I want to be good enough for him, but—“

Ty Lee settled a hand on his arm in sympathy, but Suki just started _laughing_.

“Hey— hey, what?” He recoiled, offended. “I just spilled, like, my deepest insecurities. You’re supposed to comfort me, not— not make fun of me!”

She rolled her eyes. “You think Zuko doesn’t like you? You think you won’t be good enough for him?”

He blinked at her blankly.

“Who was the first person Zuko told about his scar?”

He hesitated. “I was.”

“And who comforts him when he has panic attacks?”

“Well, it’s not _always_ me, and he has a therapist, you know—“

“And who’s going through the effort of planning _seven dates in a row_ , even if he’s not interested?”

Sokka bit his lip. “I am.”

Ty Lee nodded. “See, you guys will be great together! You shouldn’t worry, Sokka.”

“Yeah,” he agreed slowly, “yeah, you guys are right. Thanks.”

Ty Lee beamed. “What are friends for?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y’all got to see the great conjunction last night!! I saw it through some big telescopes last week and I could see Saturn’s rings AND Jupiter’s moons, it was really cool
> 
> Sometimes I think I write Sokka as too awkward, then I remember “do an activity”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate)! Have some Hurt/Comfort
> 
> Fr tho, thank you guys so much for the incredible support. I wouldn’t be as excited as I am to post things if it weren’t for all your amazing comments ❤️❤️
> 
> cw: referenced/alluded to past child abuse, PTSD, panic attack

“Sokka, whatever you’ve been doing this week is really sweet of you, but I… I don’t know if I want to go out today. I’m really—I don’t want to go out. Sorry.” His voice, even hoarser than usual, shook slightly over the phone.

“That’s okay! Thank you for telling me how you feel. Do you want me to come over and keep you company?”

“No,” he said, sounding unsure. “I—I’ll be fine, sorry, please don’t worry about me, I—“

Sokka realized what was happening. “Zuko, it’s really not a problem if you want me to hang out with you. I don’t want you to be lonely, okay? You’re important, and I care about you a lot. I promise.”

Zuko made a small, choked sound that tugged at Sokka’s heart. _Fuck you, Ozai_ _._

“Do you want me to come over?”

The line was silent for a few moments. Then, a small, “Yes, please.”

<><><><><>

As Sokka rushed to get dressed, he noticed the little white box next to his laptop. After a moment of deliberation, he snatched it off the desk and ran out to his car.

<><><><><>

Sokka knocked on Zuko’s door half an hour later, a grocery bag on his arm. The door opened almost immediately, as if the apartment’s occupant had been waiting there… 

“Sorry I took so long. Had to make a… grocery run.” He had forced a half-hearted grin, but the facade fell at Zuko’s appearance.

Zuko, who rose with the sun and always looked neat and put-together. Zuko, who managed to exude regality, even through his anxiety. Zuko, who always pushed away others’ concern, who refused to be pitied.

He was still dressed in his pajamas—an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants—despite the late morning sun shining through the blinds in the kitchen window. His long, elegant hair was tangled. Sokka dropped the plastic bag to the floor. “Oh.”

Zuko looked up, and the dark circle under his good eye was a telltale sign of a restless night. Of nightmares.

Sokka stepped tentatively towards Zuko, but paused at the way his friend’s eyes darted around nervously. “Zuko, oh _god_ , Zuko. Can I—Do you want a hug?”

Zuko nodded, looking slightly ashamed as he collapsed into Sokka’s embrace. “ _Sokka_.”

“It’s okay.”

“I—I’m sorry, I’m so, so—“

“Shh, you don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. I promise.”

Sokka kept his arms around Zuko, holding him tight. He listened as his friend’s quick, shallow breaths slowed. He didn’t let go until Zuko pulled away.

“Let’s sit on the couch, okay? You can tell me what happened, and I’ll brush through your hair for you.” Zuko nodded again, wiping at his tear-stained face with the backs of his hands.

Zuko sat sideways on the couch so that his back was to Sokka, who sat behind him and slowly began to run his fingers through Zuko’s hair, gently untangling the knots.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

This was their routine. Sokka knew that Zuko prefered predictability during his rougher days, and so this is how it would go. Sokka would help Zuko calm down while still giving him an opportunity to talk. No judgement, no surprises. Nothing forced on him.

Zuko took a deep breath.

“It was _him_ again. He—he told me I was—“ Zuko’s voice wavered, and he took a few breaths before continuing. “And he—I couldn’t run—“ His voice cracked and he sobbed. Sokka’s heart broke.

“He can’t hurt you anymore.” He fiddled with a particularly tight knot in Zuko’s hair in an effort to distract himself from his rage at that child-abusing son of a bitch. “He’s _gone_ and he can’t hurt you. You’re safe.”

“But what if he gets out? What if—“

Sokka always tried to let Zuko talk it out, but sometimes, he’d learned, he had to stop a train of thought before it started. He leaned to the left and made a motion to touch Zuko’s chin, to turn his head so they could look at each other, and realized too late his mistake. Zuko flinched violently. A stuttering gasp escaped his lips, followed by a choked sob.

“ _Shit_!” Sokka hissed as he jerked his hand back. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

Zuko stared back at him in terror, and an added layer of guilt crept swiftly into his features. 

Sokka mentally continued to curse himself, but held out his hands, palms up. Zuko accepted the invitation, cautiously placing his hands in Sokka’s, and Sokka squeezed a little in thanks. Zuko’s eye contact, now that the immediate panic had left, was nervous, tentative, but he held it nonetheless.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. But look, I promise he _won’t_ get out, Zuko. He’s gone for good. What he did to you is _horrible_ —” His voice shook slightly and he cleared his throat. “It’s _horrible_. and nothing he ever said to you was true.” 

Zuko turned his head away, focusing on the floor. “But it _is_ ,” he insisted, “I— I’m not— I don’t deserve—“

“Hey, listen to me, okay? Good people don’t hurt the ones they love. Nothing you could do could _ever_ make me hurt you the way he did. _Nothing_.”

Zuko’s sobs continued. “But… I…”

“Zuko. You are brave, and talented, and beautiful, and strong, and smart, and caring.” He shifted backwards to return his focus to Zuko’s hair. He pulled the stray strands of black hair back behind Zuko’s ears, fingers carefully avoiding brushing his scar, and started to braid it. He would braid Katara’s hair when they were children, until she was old enough to do it herself, so the repetitive movement was familiar. “You deserve happiness. You deserve love. Nothing could ever change that.” He continued working to the rhythm of Zuko’s gradually steadying breath, and pulled the hair tie out of his own hair to secure the finished braid. Sokka didn’t realize he’d leaned down to kiss the top of Zuko’s head until he’d done it. Zuko didn’t seem to notice, or care.

“Thank you, Sokka.”

They spent the day watching cartoons and eating the junk food Sokka had bought. Zuko seemed to have relaxed back into his usual self, snorting at Sokka’s particularly dumb jokes, complaining about Sokka hogging all the food. At one point, he left to shower and get dressed. When he returned, Sokka noticed—but didn’t mention—the fresh tear tracks on his cheeks. He was smiling softly now, which was certainly a good sign, and made Sokka’s heart flutter despite himself. “C’mere,” Sokka mumbled lazily, arms out towards Zuko. “Cuddle time.”

Zuko rolled his eyes, but allowed Sokka to cocoon him in the shared blanket. He squeezed Zuko’s waist in a hug from behind, and Zuko scoffed. “I just showered, isn’t my hair getting you all wet?”

Sokka rested his chin on Zuko’s shoulder. “Don’t care,” he replied, even as the hair in question stuck to the side of his face.

They sat like that for a while, watching TV in each other’s arms.

“Oh,” Sokka realized, “I have something for you.”

Zuko turned back to look at him, smile widening slightly. “What, other than your paycheck’s worth of junk food?”

Sokka, a little regretfully, let go of Zuko’s waist and reached his arms out of the blanket to pull the bags towards him, searching for the little box. “It’s technically your birthday present, but I want to give it to you now.”

Zuko leaned over him, curious, and accepted the box Sokka handed him. He unwrapped it carefully, and lifted the lid. His eyes widened. “Sokka, I—“

“Try it on!”

Zuko lifted the delicate gold chain out of the box and stared at the fiery red pendant. His gaze shifted to Sokka. “It’s beautiful.”

Zuko held it out towards Sokka, who shook himself to stop his staring before gently taking it from him and undoing the clasp. He reached around Zuko’s neck and adjusted the necklace to sit just above Zuko’s collarbone. He couldn’t help the way his hands lingered a moment longer than necessary.

Zuko stood to walk to the mirror on the opposite wall, and Sokka watched as he examined the piece of jewelry with wide eyes.

“So,” Sokka drew out the word before continuing, “what do you think?”

Zuko turned back to him silently. “ _Sokka_ ,” he breathed.

He was ethereal. His eyes, though surprised, were soft and warm, bright as molten gold. His lips were parted, curled in the slightest of smiles. The light streaming through the window reflected off the red pendant, making his skin glow a soft pink. The strands of soft, damp hair that escaped his topknot simply added to the angelic picture.

Sokka swallowed the request forming unbidden on his tongue.

_Not yet,_ he reminded himself. _Not yet._

“Come on, let’s finish this episode,” he said instead, “I’m dying to know if the coyote ever catches that stupid bird.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It didn’t feel quite right to have a friend segment at the end of this one, so I hope you enjoyed anyway!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s the penultimate chapter!! I’m so excited and so nervous ahhhhh
> 
> This chapter is just fluff I— I have no excuses 
> 
> cw: alcohol mention towards the end

Zuko stepped outside in a thick white sweater over his black jeans, and a red beanie to match the necklace Sokka had given him. He carried a pair of gloves in one hand, and a fuzzy brown teddy coat was slung over the other arm.

The layers would be a little unnecessary if they weren’t going to spend the evening in an ice rink.

Sokka had decided it was for the best to ruin the surprise, because Zuko got cold easily. Sokka would feel awful if the low temperature hindered his enjoyment.

Zuko threw the coat and gloves into the back and slid into the passenger seat. “I’m all set,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Sokka sped away as Zuko flipped through the radio, eventually giving up and pulling out his phone. He had a collection of carefully curated playlists, organized meticulously. Sokka glanced at him as they stopped at a red light. “What’s the mood today?”

Zuko seemed to make a decision as they turned onto the freeway. “Night driving.”

Sokka was going to point out that the sun was still setting, thus they weren’t _night driving_ just yet, but decided against it as the first song came on.

It was a sweet, mellow tune. Sokka hadn’t heard it before, but Zuko was singing along to every word.

“ _We are runnin' so fast, and we never look back, and whatever I lack, you make up._ ”

Zuko’s singing voice was vastly different from his speaking voice. It was smooth, confident, and _un-fucking-believably_ hot.

“ _We make a really good team, and though not everyone sees, we got this crazy chemistry between us._ ”

Sokka thought he might recognize the artist from somewhere. Troye Sivan… He was gay, wasn’t he? He made a mental note to look it up later.

“ _You don't have to say I love you to say I love you._ ”

Zuko was captivating. The fading light and the speeding landscape behind him made him look like he was in a music video, but he was clearly somewhere in his own head as he sang.

“ _Forget all the shooting stars and all the silver moons._ ”

Sokka turned up the radio and rolled his window down. He inhaled the chilly air rushing past and basked in the tangible feeling of _freedom_.

“ _We've been making shades of purple out of red and blue._ ”

The colors of the waning sunset echoed the lyrics, and stars started to peek out from behind the clouds.

“ _Sickeningly sweet like honey, don't need money. All I need is you._ ”

Warmth spread through Sokka’s chest at the sight of Zuko’s smile. You could hear his bliss in every note.

“ _All I need is you, you._ ”

<><><><><>

Soon they reached the ice rink. Zuko put his gloves on as Sokka parked, and Sokka pulled both of their coats out of the backseat. Zuko offered to pay for his entry and skate rental, but Sokka refused.

“You know I can’t let you pay, it’s—“

“Yeah, yeah, it’s my birthday. But I’m _definitely_ paying next time we do anything.”

As they sat to lace up their skates, Sokka noted that, luckily, the rink was nearly empty. When they started on the ice, Zuko immediately took off. He was fast and graceful. He did a little spinning jump, which made Sokka’s jaw drop. “How are you so good at this?” Sokka asked incredulously when Zuko finished his loop.

“I took figure skating lessons for six years. I would’ve done more, but the lacking depth perception put me behind. I got pulled out before I could _disgrace the family legacy_ or whatever.” Zuko shook his head slightly. “Didn’t you do ice hockey?”

“Um, yeah, when I was _eight_. Now I can barely keep my balance on these things.” The universe seemed to emphasize his point when he wobbled dangerously, and he gripped the barrier.

“Here.” Zuko held out his hand. “I won’t let you fall.”

Sokka reached out tentatively and took Zuko’s hand. It’s not that they hadn’t held hands before, it’s just— it felt different. Usually Sokka was the one offering.

So they skated slowly, hand in hand, until Sokka felt steady enough to carry a conversation.

“So, how’s your sister?”

“She’s doing well. She still claims to hate therapy, but she seems a little happier every time she calls me.”

“That’s great!” The reaction was genuine. Sokka could still remember how much of a bully she was in school, but he also remembered Zuko’s total 180. He’d tried to give her the benefit of the doubt since she agreed to get help. “Is she planning on flying out anytime soon?”

Zuko tilted his head. “She said she might make it for the holidays, but nothing’s set yet.” He glanced at Sokka. “How’s _your_ sister?”

“Actually— don’t tell anyone I told you, but she and Aang are talking about getting engaged.”

“Really?”

“I know! I was surprised too,” he said. “They’re so young.” He blinked. “Woah. I sound like my dad.”

Zuko huffed out a laugh.

Sokka didn’t realize he’d been staring until he felt his feet slide out from under him. He would’ve landed flat on his ass if it weren’t for Zuko’s quick reflexes and honestly inhuman balance.

“How is he, by the way?” Zuko asked as he helped Sokka right himself.

“Hm?”

“Your— Hakoda. Your dad.”

“Oh, he’s great. He’s in Alaska with Bato for their anniversary.”

Zuko nodded. “Sounds nice.”

“Which part?” Sokka teased, “Alaska? Bato? Anniversary?”

Zuko rolled his eyes and shoved Sokka lightly.

After about an hour, Sokka was exhausted and Zuko was freezing, so they decided to call it quits. Sokka offered to return the skates, and came back to find Zuko holding two steaming styrofoam cups. “I bought us hot chocolate.”

“ _Zuko_ ,” Sokka whined, even as he accepted the wonderfully toasty cup, “I told you _I’m_ paying!”

“You never said anything about hot chocolate,” Zuko shrugged.

<><><><><>

The drive home was quiet, but not uncomfortable. As they neared their destination, Sokka watched Zuko’s expression shift to one of confusion.

“This isn’t the way home,” he said simply.

“You’re right,” Sokka replied, a little teasingly.

“Are we going to Aang and Katara’s place?”

“Yep.”

Zuko’s tone grew somewhat impatient. “Why?”

“You’ll see.”

Sokka refused to reveal anything about their visit, even as they parked, entered the building, and climbed the stairs. Zuko huffed in exasperation as Sokka knocked. The door opened.

A sudden chorus of “Surprise!”

The space was packed for how small it was, but there couldn’t have been more than a dozen people. Gold streamers (definitely Aang’s doing) were draped around the room, and the kitchen table was covered in pizza and desserts.

Zuko’s frown softened and eyes widened. An embarrassed flush hurried to tinge his face pink as he stepped inside. “Guys—“

Aang stepped up, positively beaming. “Happy birthday, Zuko!” He lunged forward to capture Zuko in a hug, knocking the breath right out of his lungs.

He patted Aang’s back awkwardly. “Thanks.”

“You want a drink?” Suki approached carrying two cups. “I spiked the punch.”

“I double-spiked it,” Mai added flatly, not even looking up from where she sat on the couch. Ty Lee giggled beside her.

Zuko accepted both drinks and offered one to Sokka, who waved it off. “Nah, man, I’m driving. You have fun.”

“Oh. Well— you take it and I’ll drive, then.”

“ _Dude_ . It’s _your_ birthday. I’ll drive.”

Zuko shook his head. “I’m not drinking if you aren’t.”

He passed both cups back to Suki, who shrugged. “Suit yourselves.”

He felt rather than saw Katara’s knowing look from across the room. 

Zuko excused himself to chat with Mai and Ty Lee, and Sokka spotted Toph near the opposite wall. She was leaned against a shelf, arms folded.

“Hey, Toph.”

“‘Sup, Snoozles?”

“You guys really did a great job setting this up,” he said.

She shook her head dismissively. “Anything for a friend like Zuko.”

“Yeah,” Sokka sighed, glancing across the room at the birthday boy in question. He was rolling his eyes at something Mai had said, even as his lips were quirked up into an amused smile.

“You really like him, don’t you?” The usual teasing tone of voice was missing from the question.

He nodded before remembering she couldn’t see it. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“Hey.” She gave him a (surprisingly light, for Toph) punch on the arm. “Good luck tomorrow. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“You think?”

“Yeah.” Her familiar grin returned. “But I _will_ want to know the details.”

“ _Toph_!” Sokka whined, heat rising to his face. He smacked her lightly and she cackled. “You’re the worst.”

“ _Someone_ ’s gotta hold this group together when you’re all acting like lovestruck idiots.”

Sokka groaned. “But why’s it have to be _you_?”

“Because, Snoozles, I’m never gonna _be_ a lovestruck idiot. That’s all you guys.”

The facepalm that followed was affectionate, even if Toph’s borderline-evil laughter was annoying as hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok firstly Aro Toph>>>>>
> 
> The song they listen to in the car is “for him.” by Troye Sivan and I’m hagjagkskhg it’s so Zukka UGH
> 
> I almost did “Radiant Warmth” by Miki Ratsula instead, but the vibe wasn’t quite right and I’m SO glad I changed my mind because Wow I’m proud of that scene now
> 
> I can’t believe we only have one chapter left!! It’s essentially finished already and it’s going to be so tempting to post it earlier, but I Will Control Myself lol
> 
> Thank you guys so so much for reading, and for leaving comments and Kudos!! It means so much to me ❤️❤️❤️
> 
> (Also to those of you interested in my In Your Eyes series, I’ve started work on it!! Don’t expect anything quite yet, but it’s on its way)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year everyone!! Here’s hoping 2021 will be better than 2020
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all the love you’ve given me for this story, and I really hope this is a satisfying ending ❤️❤️
> 
> Enjoy!!

Today would be fine. All Sokka had to do was not freak out.

He’d cleaned up his place, and set out pillows, blankets and snacks at the foot of his bed. He’d strung cute little twinkle lights he’d gotten from Walmart on his walls. His laptop was set up with Katara’s Netflix account at the ready, and all he had to do was _not freak out_.

What’s the worst that could happen? Zuko gets mad and never wants to see him again? ...Okay that’s actually pretty bad.

But what if… what if Zuko actually liked him back? If that was a possibility, he didn’t want to spend his life wondering.

Either Zuko liked him, or he didn’t. Putting off the question wouldn’t change the answer.

The doorbell buzzed, effectively startling him out of his spiraling thoughts. And… he was totally freaking out. He bit down on his knuckles in a futile attempt to relieve some tension from his jaw. He rolled his shoulders in time with a long exhale, and, feeling a little calmer, opened the door.

At the sight of Zuko’s face, Sokka’s heart increased ever so slightly in pace. He tried not to look at Zuko’s lips. The lips he would be kissing that very evening. The lips he’d thought about kissing for years. They looked so soft, so warm… His gaze shot upwards to Zuko’s eyes. Those stunning, golden eyes that glittered in the sunlight. Those eyes were staring back at him now, wide and curious. “Hi, Zuko.”

Zuko’s smile was small, nervous, but it took everything Sokka had not to melt at the sight of it. “Hi.”

He blinked, remembering where he was. “Oh! Um, come in. And happy birthday, obviously.” He led the way to his bedroom, speaking without looking back at Zuko. “I have everything set up, but you can pick the movie. I don’t care what we watch, and you have great taste, so. Yeah.” He held one side of his blanket fort up so Zuko could crawl in. “After you,” he said, hoping it came out more charismatic and less terrified-to-his-very-core.

He followed, allowing the blanket to drop behind him as he settled in next to his friend. Zuko was looking around with amusement, a slight blush settling on his face from the close quarters. He looked at Sokka, who wondered _how those eyes could be so disarming every time—_

“Wow,” he said, “this is weirdly impressive.”

Sokka, starting to relax in the familiar company of his friend, scoffed indignantly. “I was an engineering major, dude. You think I can’t make a pillow fort?”

Zuko snorted. The sound should not have been attractive, but Sokka had already proved himself to be a complete infatuated moron, so his heart fluttered anyway.

Sokka motioned to the laptop. “Take your pick, birthday boy.”

A few minutes later they were sharing a blanket and a popcorn bowl. The movie was decent. One of those old slapstick films that didn’t require a lot of mental work to enjoy. Definitely something picked with Sokka in mind. They were positioned shoulder-to-shoulder, legs crossed, with Zuko on Sokka’s left. It would be somewhat intimate for anyone else, but they were close friends, and Sokka was one cuddly bitch, so this was comparatively pretty mild. He teased Zuko about “hogging the popcorn” as an excuse to shift closer. He turned to the left to lean into the pillows behind them. Zuko’s shoulder now made contact with Sokka’s chest, and he squeezed one arm to wrap around Zuko’s waist. And— oh. That was nice. Zuko’s body felt warm and solid under his arm.

Zuko stiffened in his grip, but Sokka had learned what that meant a long time ago. It meant that Zuko felt loved— and that he felt unworthy of that love. Growing up with a shitty excuse for a father meant that he was unused to affection, especially that of the physical variety. Now, whenever he got it, his body rejected it. But Sokka knew, he _knew_ that Zuko needed it. After a reassuring squeeze, Zuko visibly relaxed. He inched even closer to Sokka in thanks.

About halfway through the movie, they were both chatting comfortably. Sokka had all but forgotten the purpose of the evening, but it still sat as a looming reminder in the back of his head, ever-present. Zuko’s head was on his shoulder, and his legs were crossed over Sokka’s. He looked at ease.

They shared a laugh at a particularly stupid joke, and Zuko took his head off Sokka’s shoulder to look at him. “Hey,” he started, “aren’t you still doing that internet challenge?”

Sokka would’ve laughed at the term “Internet challenge” if he wasn’t terrified of what it entailed. “Uh, yeah, actually.” He swallowed. “Today’s the last day. Or— I guess you knew that. Because it’s your birthday.”

Zuko looked at him expectantly, blissfully unaware of the agony he was causing. “You should film us, then.”

Sokka nodded quickly, pulling out his phone. _You can do this you can do this you can—_

“You know,” Zuko said as Sokka started recording, “you should apologize to your followers. This is probably the least eventful thing you’ve ever posted.”

Sokka, despite his nerves, had never been more sure of anything as he was of his feelings for Zuko. But he knew that unless the feeling was mutual, something so forward as a real, genuine kiss would be a shock to his friend’s system. So he defaulted to humor. “Ohoho, I beg to differ.” He leaned forward, lips puckered cartoonishly, and kissed Zuko, square on the mouth, with a loud “muah!”

Zuko stared at him. Blinked. Started laughing. Sokka laughed with him, from nerves and relief and fear and humiliation. He published the video without so much as glancing at his phone.

Almost immediately, the notifications started to buzz, and Sokka turned them off, throwing the phone to rest next to the laptop. “I’m sorry,” he laughed, “that was so stupid.”

Zuko, no longer laughing, had a strange, apprehensive, almost giddy expression on his face. His face that _Sokka had just kissed_. His blush had grown to reach even the tip of his unscarred ear. “Wh—“ he began.

Sokka cut him off. “So, um, yeah,” he stuttered stupidly. "That's the challenge. You, uh. You take your best-friend-slash-crush on a bunch of super romantic dates and then if they don’t figure it out you…” he trailed off, gesturing at nothing.

Zuko was staring like a deer in the headlights. “Your…” He tried again. “Your _crush_ ? You— _I’m_ ?” He pointed at his own chest. “ _Me_?”

Sokka’s laugh caught in his throat, instead coming out like choked gargle. “Um. Uh. Yeah, I— Yeah, I like you. A lot.”

Zuko’s mouth dropped open, and Sokka tried not to think too hard.

“Is that… okay?”

Zuko was still staring.

“Dude, you’re—you’re starting to freak me out. It’s okay if you don’t like me back, I—“

“No!” Zuko practically shouted, “I—I mean yes! I like you too! So much!”

“I promise it’s—Wait. Wait, you _do_? Really?”

Zuko answered by darting forward to slam his lips against Sokka’s. Sokka, after a moment of startled pause, reciprocated. His movements were tentative, slow, but his confidence grew as he felt Zuko’s do the same. He leaned in, desperate, still shaking with lingering anxiety and exhilaration. He gasped for air, but refused to pull away, refused to end the moment that must be a dream, it _must be a dream—_

His hands came up to settle on the sides of Zuko’s face, a featherlight touch on his soft skin, as if any more pressure would break this fragile reality where everything went _right_ . They slid back to run through Zuko’s soft hair. A gentle tug elicited a soft noise from Zuko, and Sokka wanted more, he _needed more_.

Zuko’s hands wandered, too. They rested on Sokka’s shoulders, slid down onto his chest, grabbed at his shirt, pulling him closer and closer… 

Zuko fell back onto the carpet, and his grip on Sokka’s shirt meant that Sokka tumbled forward on top of him. He finally broke the kiss to catch his breath, and laughed. This time, there was no fear in it, just pure relief and ecstasy. “Oh my god, Zuko, pinch me. There’s no fucking way I got this lucky.”

He gazed down at Zuko, both of them breathing heavily. Zuko’s eyes were bright, blinking rapidly, and Sokka worried he’d done something wrong until— “ _Thank you_ , Sokka. I—Thank you.”

Sokka quirked an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For caring,” Zuko said. The words pierced Sokka’s heart. He wanted to say something in return, but he struggled to find the right words. Zuko tugged him down suddenly, breaking his train of thought as their hips and chests pressed together through their clothing.

Sokka stared again into those eyes, and a warmth filled his chest when he realized he _could_ . He admired the way the twinkling lights made them glow, and noticed for the first time the minuscule flecks of rich brown towards the centers. He wanted to paint the pattern of his irises, if only to memorize the warmth of them. He wanted to _drown_ in the way Zuko looked at him then. “You,” he began, speaking softly, scared to break this moment but _needing_ Zuko to know, “are the most wonderful thing I’ve ever seen. Beautiful, and funny, and smart, and kind—“ he punctuated each complement with a kiss. “And talented, and considerate, and perfect.”

The tears pooling at the corners of Zuko’s eyes finally spilled, running down the sides of his face and into his hair. Sokka wiped them away gingerly with his thumbs, still shaking slightly.

“You’re perfect,” he repeated. And he meant it.

Zuko brought the heels of his hands to his eyes. “God, I— _Sokka_.”

“Zuko.” Sokka was still trying to catch up. Trying to make himself believe that this was real, that it wouldn’t be gone tomorrow, that _he_ wouldn’t be gone. And though the last few minutes were still processing, he recognized the fondness in his own voice as he spoke Zuko’s name. It was the same soft, gentle tone he’d used with Yue during her last few months, when he’d needed more than anything for her to understand his feelings. To understand what she meant to him. It was the tone he’d used with Suki when they’d talk late at night in junior year of high school. It was warm, and soft, and it was _love_.

Because here was Zuko. Zuko, who loved to feed the ducks, who made cookies for his friends when they had bad days, who hated attention but craved affection. Zuko, who hadn’t shied away when Sokka talked about Yue, or his mom, who instead had said just the right things that made Sokka feel understood. Zuko, who had called him late one night when they were both eighteen, sobbing, and had let Sokka hold him as he quietly revealed the story behind his scar. Zuko, who deserved so much better than the world had ever given him, but who wasn’t bitter about it. Who didn’t always realize he’d been wronged.

He was here. And he was Sokka’s. And Sokka was going to do everything he could to make him feel loved. “I don’t deserve you, beautiful.”

Zuko let out a shuddering laugh, blushing bright red. “Just kiss me again, jerk.”

<><><><><>

Hours later, Sokka leaned back against the foot of his bed with a contented sigh. He looked down at his lap, where his fingers were combing through Zuko’s hair as he slept. He traced Zuko’s jawline with one finger, admiring him with unbridled adoration.

Careful not to wake him, Sokka reached with one foot to slide his phone towards them. He unlocked it, wincing at the sudden bright light, and scrolled through the comments on his last post. He bit his lip to keep from laughing. He’d completely forgotten what a cliffhanger he’d left everyone on.

He wasn’t upset about it. Tonight had been theirs, and theirs alone. No one else needed to hear the way Zuko breathed Sokka’s name like it was a lifeline, like it was the only thing keeping him afloat. No one needed to know the way Sokka had grabbed at him, needing constant confirmation that he was _there_ and he was _real_ and he wasn’t going to leave. Those moments weren’t for anyone else.

However, he knew it would be cruel to leave them wondering, so he posted a picture of Zuko’s sleeping head in his lap, careful to keep the flash off. He typed out a simple caption.

“guys look at my boyfriend”

<><><><><>

He and Zuko stepped into the diner together the next morning, fingers intertwined.

“Ready?”

Zuko nodded.

The gang was seated at their usual booth in the back. Suki spotted them as they approached and whooped, making Zuko duck his head shyly.

Aang turned his head at the noise and grinned. “Hey, guys! Congrats!”

Sokka pointedly ignored Katara’s stupid smirk as they sat down, but Toph was harder to avoid. “ _Finally_ ,” she shouted, “I was honestly expecting you to chicken out, Snoozles.” She punched him in the arm.

“Ow!” He glared indignantly, knowing she couldn’t see him anyway.

Katara had dropped her smug expression to turn to Zuko, false pity in her eyes. “I’m _so_ sorry you have to deal with him—“ Suki snorted— “Blink twice if you need help.” Zuko flushed darker.

Sokka squeezed Zuko’s hand protectively, and turned his glare towards the other girls, only partly joking. “Leave my boyfriend alone.”

The girls just laughed, but Zuko didn’t look uncomfortable. He smiled, wrapping his other hand around Sokka’s. Sokka kissed him.

“Ew!” Katara teased, face scrunching in disgust. “Talk about oogies.”

Sokka didn’t look at her. He just stared at Zuko as he replied, “What, you expect me _not_ to kiss him?” Zuko’s mouth was open slightly, and he accepted the invitation, kissing him again.

Toph groaned. “You guys are worse than Katara and Aang.” She held her hands up dramatically. “I’ve created a monster.”

As the group teased each other, Sokka realized that this was the happiest he’d ever been. There wasn’t a single thing he would change about this moment, and he would be perfectly content to live in it forever. He wouldn’t give up Zuko’s scoff of laughter, or Aang’s not-so-discreet thumbs up, or even the girls’ taunting. Not for anything in the world.

From the look in Zuko’s eyes, he felt the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first published fic is finished! I hope everyone liked it, and isn’t too upset with me for being completely inexperienced with writing these kinds of scenes lol
> 
> Thank you guys again for your incredible support, and I hope you’ll stick around to see what comes next!!


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